A Bitter Harvest.pdf

8/17/2019 A Bitter Harvest.pdf

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Maximilian Steiger is a very big deal inthe village of Vorberg, but he has abigger secret. Twelve years ago the

village was threatened by a Goblinoid

warband. The villagers hid their womenfolk and infants in a cave in thehills and settled in for a siege. One oftheir number, a young man called Willie‘Harefoot’ Treumann, was sent for ahelp but returned with the rescuingarmy a day too late: although theGreenskins had abandoned the siege,they had found the women and babiesand taken them away as slaves. Willie

was a broken man, especially when he

found out what had actually happened.

The day before his return, the villagers,thinking he hadn’t got through, parleyed

with the Orc boss. In return for sparingthe village, its leadership, unbeknownstto the rest, betrayed their womenfolk tothe Orcs. The main instigator of thisagreement was Max Steiger; two of its

victims were his wife Johanna andyoung daughter Kati. The men involved

in the parley, including Willie’s brotherErich and the innkeeper Horst, sworeeach other to secrecy and gradually goton with life, remarrying and raising thesurviving male children, such as Maxand Johanna’s son, Max Jnr. The villageprospered under Max’s leadership,developing a thriving hemp industry.

Although the Greenskins killed almostall their slaves before long, Johanna

survived and learnt from her new Orc‘husband’ how they had been captured(as well as, falsely, that her son wasdead). She had been brought up as aherbalist and also had a small amount ofmagical talent. Using a combination ofher own cunning and a mind-influencingbrew called Mother Knows Best, shebrought the Orc boss and much of his

warband under control until, with thehelp of her allies, she killed her

‘husband’ and took control of the tribe.Many of the Greenskins have since been

killed in various engagements but shehas now led the remnants back to the

village, set up base in the hidden caveand is planning a slow revenge.

Timeline 26 years ago Max & Johanna marry 25 years ago Max Jnr (‘Maxli’) born20 years ago Klaus born16 years ago Kati born 12 years ago The first Orc attack 10 years ago Erich & Enid marry,

Dieter born.8 years ago Gregor born, Beate

returns to Vorberg

7 years ago Horst & Liselotte marry4 years ago Johanna becomes boss

The PCs get involved when Max Snrtries to get married again. It’s part of abusiness deal with Franz Raffke, a majorpurchaser, who has a young daughter,Helena. Unfortunately the dowry, which

was supposed to be following Max tothe town where the wedding takes place,hasn’t arrived. Franz demands that he be

able to send agents back with Max andhis new wife to ensure that paymentcomes. Max agrees so long as both payfor neutral third parties – the PCs.

The party travels to Vorberg, butdiscover that the wagons carrying thedowry had been attacked by Goblinoidsand the village is in a state of fear. Theylearn that these Goblinoids are the same

warband that previously attacked,

costing the village its women and babies.Sent to reconnoitre the Greenskins’camp, the PCs discover that they arenow led by one of those women andmay learn of the original betrayal andthat this attack is motivated by revenge.

The PCs must then decide what to do.

The theme of this adventure is how women, in a society where men have thepower, can be treated like tools to be

used and discarded, how those womentry to accommodate themselves to,


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escape from or end up being twisted bythat dynamic and how the nextgeneration then bears the legacy. It seeksto provide a memorable playingexperience by presenting players with a

complex moral situation which can’t be

divided into ‘good vs. evil’ or ‘Empire vs. Chaos’, but instead with one whosehorror results from petty humanselfishness and cowardice and whereselling out humans to Greenskins might

be the right (or least wrong) solution.

CHAPTER ONE: THE WEDDING

While visiting a river port, the PCsencounter the wedding celebrations ofMaximilian and Helena Steiger. Eitherthe reception is held in the inn wherethey are staying or they becomeinvolved in some other set of

celebrations (see the shaded text). There’s very good reason for gettinginvolved – the beer is free. Rememberto keep track of the PCs’ drinking (seeWFRP , page 115).

Depending on how quickly the GM wants to get to the ‘meat’ of the story, this might bea good time to fill in details of this region’s marriage customs. Some suggestions include:

• The bride and groom approach from opposite ends of town in two processions, oneof women distributing flowers for luck and one of men distributing copper pennies.

They meet in the town square before the wedding party enters the temple of Sigmar.Once they emerge, the festivities begin.

• The bride’s family pretends to ‘kidnap’ the bride and the guests (including PCs)compete to find and ‘rescue’ her. The winners are rewarded with a cask of the localale. Lutz Wassertraeger (see below) might offer to tell the PCs where the bride is inreturn for a ‘small consideration’.

•

The men compete in a running race around the village, each carrying one of the village maidens on his back. The winner is ‘married’ to ‘his’ girl until dawn the nextday. There’s no shame in anything that happens in that time and any childrenconceived are considered blessed. This would be a good opportunity to introduceFreudig Bumsen (see below).

Before long Max has his arm round thePCs’ shoulders and is pressing drinksinto their hands. He takes on his role asman of the hour (and, of course, centreof attention) very enthusiastically. Being

a sharp businessman, he is using thisopportunity to get to know people intown. The fact that the PCs might bedisreputable won’t bother him, since heis well aware such people can be useful.

The GM might allow him a Charm Test on the PCs as he apparently takes agenuine interest in who they are and

what brought them to town.

If the PCs look for his bride (or if the

GM requests an Average (+0%)Perception Test and they pass), they

will see a heavily pregnant and muchyounger woman sitting nearby, sippingoccasionally from a tankard of smallbeer and looking very shy and unsure ofherself. Next to her are another young

woman, apparently her maid-of-honour,and a very unhappy-looking man ofroughly Max’s age. A Very Easy (+30)Gossip Test will get the informationthat the bride is Helena and the manFranz Raffke, her father and aprominent boat-chandler (supplier ofropes, equipment and stores). Two ormore Degrees of Success (DoS) tells thePCs that the marriage is part of abusiness deal between him and Max and

that both want a boy-child to inherit thebusiness. A Routine (+10%) Common


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Knowledge (Empire) Test reveals thatit’s not unusual for the bride to be

visibly pregnant on the wedding day: itensures that the marriage will be fertile

before any binding commitments aremade. The PCs can’t immediately findout why Franz looks so unhappy,however.

The GM can deliver information either quickly through skill rolls or can insist onroleplaying. In the latter case, here are a couple of NPCs with whom the PCs caninteract. Use Villager profiles (see The Cast, below), if necessary:

• Freudig Bumsen is a pretty, plump young woman who’s out for a hunky man (or,even better, a Dwarf) to bed and one of the PCs is a candidate. She’ll pretend to be afriend of Helena’s and although they did grow up together, Freudig always resentedHelena for being a bit more popular (and respected) among the town lads. Freudig

will put up a very bad façade of pity for her “dear friend” for being “married off tosome fat, old hick just to seal a silly business deal”, but in truth she is ratherspitefully gleeful about it and will dish on how Franz is using his daughter to ensure

his own future because he failed to sire a male heir.• Lutz Wassertraeger is a dogsbody for Franz, running his errands, passing on

messages etc.. Franz pays little attention to Lutz, and the latter takes the opportunityto pilfer small amounts of money. Lutz is sly, but not as sly as he thinks he is, so he’llstart by selling bits of information for pennies, but will quickly get drunk and run hismouth off about how Franz wasn’t man enough to have a son and how he’d like toget his hands on Helena. From Lutz, the PCs can learn that Max has in recent yearsbecome a significant supplier of hemp in the region and Franz hopes the marriage

will lock his competitors out of this supply. In addition, they could get on Franz’sgood side by exposing Lutz as the resentful, pathetic little toad he is.

Later in the celebrations, Franz and Maxget into an altercation, which starts as aheated discussion and escalates intoraised voices. An Average (+0%)Perception Test (Acute Hearing grants+10%, as does an additional Average(+0%) Speak Language (Reikspiel)

Test to pick out the slurred words) willtell the PCs that the conversation isabout a missing dowry, before the twomen leave to continue the discussion

somewhere in private.

While it’s clear that the two don’t wantto be followed, any PC that does soshould make a Routine (+10%) SilentMove Test, Opposed to Max’s Hard(-20%) Perception Test, since the twomen are distracted. A success means thePC can listen in to the conversation fora bit. It is clear that Franz is somewhatdrunk and very angry with Max.

Apparently a large delivery of hemp wassupposed to have arrived by now as a

dowry. The PC overhears Franz say thathe, “could have given that girl to anyrespectable businessman in town” butthat Max had promised him the bestprospects, even though his friends had

warned him not to deal with an uppitypeasant like Max. If Max isn’t to betrusted, though, Franz will sue the shirtoff his back and ensure his daughterdivorces him and that their child growsup in a Shallyan orphanage where no-

one can find it. Max tries to calm Franzdown, reassuring him that the dowry

will be his and asking him not to spoilhis daughter’s ‘happy day’ (a point about

which Franz is noticeably scornful; Maxdoesn’t particularly care either, but

wants to look like the good guy).

A failed test means the men spot thePC, who can then either leave or decideto intervene. Alternatively, a PC can just

decide to approach them openly beforebeing spotted. An intervention requires


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an Average (+0%) Charm Test with various situational modifiers (-10% ifthe PC was spotted sneaking around,although this can be negated by goodroleplaying, e.g. “Sorry, I was just

popping out for a smoke. Can’t have apuff of pipeweed indoors any more.Bloody Shallyan do-gooders.”; +10% ifthe PC had previously made a goodimpression on either man; +10% for agood argument, like pointing out thatthis is best resolved in the morning). Ifthe PCs have made a good impressionbefore, then an offer to help the nextday will be welcomed (an additional+10%). Obviously, penalties might be

incurred for particularly tactlessroleplaying. A successful roll means thatthe men calm down and thank the PC(s)for their help. On a failure (or nointervention at all) the men still stoparguing but part angrily and only turn to

the PCs later out of a lack of othermutually tolerable options.

After the incident, any PC who mightreasonably be thought to know

something about marriage rights (e.g.lawyers, priests, roadwardens) will beapproached by Max and/or (separately)Franz and asked whether a marriage is

valid without the delivery of thepromised dowry. Max will leave the PChappy if the answer is yes, and Franz

will be happy if the answer is no. TheGM should take the opportunity ofputting the PC in an awkward position.

Helena will leave for bed fairly early(much earlier than her husband), buteventually the various guests will trickleaway or pass out. The PCs are woken inthe morning by a fresh-looking Max anda not so fresh-looking Franz.

CHAPTER TWO: THE JO URNEY

They want the PCs to go with Max andHelena to Vorberg (Max’s village) to

check on what happened to the dowryand, if necessary, escort it back. Each is

willing to pay the PCs 10 gc (or anamount appropriate to your campaign’seconomy). PCs can try an OpposedHaggle Test to get more money. TheGM rolls Max’s Routine (+10%) Haggle Test, to reflect the help he getsfrom Franz, with the PCs rolling atRoutine (+10%) if one or more ofthem made a good impression the night

before, Challenging (-10%) if theymade a bad one, and otherwise Average(+0%). A success for the PCs raises thepayment to 12 gc plus one more forevery DoS. A failure leaves the reward at10 gc . If it looks like the PC’s might turndown the deal, Max or Franz mentionsthat there might be more work in thefuture if the PC’s carry out this job well:these men are both good local contactsto have (and bad ones to anger).

Assuming the PCs accept, Maxintroduces them to Andreas Kessler,

who is in charge of Max’s security. Ifany of the PCs are still the worse for

wear, then Andreas takes them to an inn(if they’re not there already) and givesthe barkeep a pouch of herbs to dissolvein hot water. The concoction isdisgusting, but allows the character a

Toughness Test (with a -10% penalty for Resistance to Poison, since the herbsare, in fact, a toxin). On a success, thealcohol’s effects are banished

immediately. On a failure the PCundergoes several minutes of vomitingand explosive diarrhoea beforerecovering entirely.

Andreas leads three guards, who will beriding next to the newlyweds’ rentedcoach. (For the guards use the Sell-Swords profile in WFRP , page 235.)PCs with horses can ride with Andreasand the guards. There is room for two

more on the box next to the elderlycoachman and another two could fit


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into the coach with Max, Helena andHelena’s maid-of-honour, her (genuine)childhood friend Barbara ‘Bibi’Emmerich. If there are more PCs than

will fit, assume that Max has arranged

another small cart and its driver for the wedding gifts and the PCs can rideperched on that.

It will take about a day to reach Vorberg, and the PCs may want to makesmall-talk on the way. The ordinaryguards and the coachman are hiredlabour and know little. The coachman,Ernst, is ancient and gloomy, while theguards vary between Andreas’s right-

hand man Juergen, who is hung-overand sullen, Markus, who is boastful ofold exploits, and Udo, a fresh-facedyoungster who’s half-wanting, half-fearing any action.

Talking to Helena or Bibi is difficultbecause both are quiet around Max(Helena out of shyness and Bibi out ofconsideration for her friend). FemalePCs will get a chance to talk to them in

private during the morning when thecoach stops to allow people to relievethemselves and again when it stops forlunch. A Gossip Test ( Average (+0%) for Helena; Routine (+10%) for Bibi)shows that Helena is putting a braveface on a situation she has no controlover, and her friend is just trying to besupportive. Helena is most concernedabout the baby and hopes for a boy,since that’s what Max and her father

want from her. In private Bibi can berather cutting about Franz but tries tobe polite about Max for Helena’s sake.Bibi does let slip, however, that Maxalready has a son, just not one willing totake over the business.

Max is very easy to talk to. He willhappily regale everyone with stories ofhow he made it as a businessman andhow much he’s done for his village. As

regards Helena, he’ll play the dotinghusband. He expresses concern about

the missing dowry if asked, but alsoconfidence that his trusted bailiff, oneErich Treumann, will have had goodreason not to have brought it and thateverything will be all right in the end. An

Average (+0%) Perception Test willtell the PCs that Max is more worriedthan he’ll let on. If asked about why hehas married so late or about his family,Max will look sad and will admit that hehad been married once but that his wifetragically died. He has one grown-upson, Max Jnr (‘Maxli’), who is howevernot interested in the family business.

The older Max wishes his son would bea bit more grateful, but what can he do?

At lunch, if any of the PCs have set up aparticularly good relationship with Max,they will find that he leads them asideand, after thanking them profusely fortaking the job and talking about howawkward the situation is and how it

would be ideally solved quickly andpainlessly, he will offer a 5 gc bonus tothe PC he’s talking to if that PC makessure that they report back to Franz in

terms favourable to Max. If the PCaccepts, Max will be very happy. If thePC refuses out of principle, however,Max will look shocked that he might bethought to have intended anything otherthan practicality and his wife’s peace-of-mind. He will be quite obviouslydispleased with the PC, however.

Andreas Kessler cuts a very professionalfigure. A devout follower of Myrmidia

after a long stint fighting in Tilea, hemoves and acts efficiently and does nottolerate foolishness on the job. He’scurious about other people, however,and will happily chat with PCs whoseem serious people. He’s only workedfor Max for a short time, having beenhired at the beginning of the summer.Max had to bring in a lot of outside

workers to help with the hemp harvestand needed someone in charge of

security.


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If the adventure takes place after theStorm of Chaos, then these casuallabourers are refugees from the North

who need work. Max is genuinely happythat he can combine the virtues of

business and charity by employingpeople in need for everyone’s mutualbenefit. Andreas, however, doesn’t likeor trust them – he views Northerners as

violent barbarians and the fact that theseones survived when others died makesthem even more suspicious in his eyes.

Andreas respects Max as a fair boss,although he generally isn’t fond of

wheeler-dealers. An Average (+0%)

Charm Test will get Andreas to admitthat he actively dislikes Erich Treumann,

whom he accuses of beingunprofessionally harsh with hisemployees. He thinks especially little of

the man because Andreas once caughthim beating his young son, Dieter. Ifasked about Maxli, however, Andreas

will bluff an off-hand appreciation forthe young man, whom he describes as

nothing like his father, being instead a woodsman who spends little time in the village but is a good drinking companion when he does come into the local pub. Andreas will look noticeablyuncomfortable ( Routine (+10%)Perception Test ) if questioned moreclosely about Maxli; PCs should beallowed to draw whatever conclusionsthey wish. Andreas will simply shrug ifasked about the appropriateness of the

match between Helena and the olderMax: it’s sad, perhaps, but it’s just the

way of the world for young women tobe passed from one old man to another.

CHAPTER THREE: THE B ATTLEFIELD

After lunch, the terrain turns into rollinghills and the forests become thicker. It’slate afternoon, a couple of hours before

dusk and not far from the village, when Andreas returns from scouting upahead, visibly disturbed. If he hasbefriended a PC on the way, then he willfirst go to that PC with his news: aroundthe next curve the road is filled withabandoned wagons and many deadguards. If he hasn’t befriended any PCs,then any of them outside might be ableto listen in ( Average (+0%)Perception Test; +10% for Acute

Hearing) on Andreas’s conversation with the other guards. The people insidethe coach feel it come to a stop andsoon Max will look out of the carriageand demand to know from Andreas andthe nearest PC what’s going on. Andreas

will hesitate for a moment, so any PC will have a chance to answer. They needto be tactful so as not to scare eitherMax or, especially, Helena. Some storyabout there seeming to be a blockage in

the road would do (which is what

Andreas will come up with if given achance).

Andreas is aware that the PCs are thereto secure the dowry and so will be sureto take one of them with him back tothe scene of the crime so that they canconsult on what to do.

The PCs walk into the remnants of abattle. There are four wagons, theirhorses butchered, and all around themabout a dozen human corpses, peppered

with short, black arrows. Information

should be given in response to PCactions and questions:

• the arrows are crudely made, with viciously barbed iron heads;

• most of the humans have been shot;• they have been only partly stripped

of weapons and armour, and moneyand valuables have been largely leftbehind;

• there are no other corpses other

than those of the guards (Andreascan confirm this);


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• Andreas can confirm/point out thatErich Treumann should have been

with the convoy but his body isn’tamong the dead;

• the wagons are still full of hemp –

there was no attempt to steal thegoods.

• the convoy needed to set out earlyto make it to town in one day and

was stopped not far from the village,so the attack must have taken placein broad daylight.

Further information can be gleaned bycertain types of characters and fromSkill Tests:

• Dwarfs, characters in militarycareers (including Roadwardens),those with Trade (Armourer,Bowyer or Weaponsmith) orCommon Knowledge (Greenskins)skills will automatically recognise thearrows as Goblinoid; others who

voice this suspicion can have thatconfirmed on a successful Average(+0%) Intelligence Test.

•

a Common Knowledge (Empire) Test ( Routine (+10%) for anyonefrom this area of the Empire;Challenging (-10%) for outsiders)

will tell the PCs that this region hassuffered Greenskin attack before,but there’s been nothing serious fora while;

• an Average (+0%) AcademicKnowledge (Strategy/Tactics)

Test reveals that the convoy was

attacked from both sides of the roadand the attackers avoided melee;

• an Easy (+20%) Follow Trail Test reveals that the attackers camethrough the woods roughly from thedirection of the village and returnedthe same way; if the PCs try to

pursue the attackers, Andreas willremind them that they need toprotect the carriage.

The question then becomes how to

proceed. Andreas will listen to PCs’suggestions, although he will make clearthat neither returning to town norbringing the hemp shipment with themare options. Ultimately he’ll have to goback to Max and report. He’ll beckonMax out of the coach before he does so,in order not to scare the ladies, althoughBibi in particular will demand to know

what’s going on and only be stilled by anembarrassed and worried Helena. When

told of what’s happened, Max will gosheet-white and ask Andreas what theyshould do. Andreas will recommendshutting the blinds on the coach so theladies don’t witness the scene andmaking for the village as quickly aspossible. Max will ask if Erich’s body

was found and when told that it wasn’t,he’ll breathe a sigh of relief that at leastErich seems to have escaped. An

Average (+0%) Perception Test will

tell the PCs that Andreas looks scepticalat this.

Assuming things proceed as Andreasrecommends, Max gets back into thecoach and draws the blinds, claimingthere is a long-dead horse on the roadahead and that he wants to spare theladies the sight. The carriage will start upat speed and Andreas, along with eitherone PC or Juergen (who becomes

markedly more alert once there’sdanger) rides ahead. Have the PCs makePerception Tests to keep them onedge, but nothing happens in the hour’sjourney to the village where they arrivejust as the sun dips behind the line of ahill.

CHAPTER FOUR: ARRIVAL

The first sight of Vorberg is striking.

Rounding the top of a wooded hill, thegroup looks down on a village nestled

amongst fields and, behind it, the local

‘mountain’ (in fact a particularly largehill). The latter is unusual because it juts


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quite suddenly from the ground and,although its sides are forested like theother hills, the tree-line ends below thesummit, which is topped with a ridgeand two rock peaks. Andreas heard that

the resemblance between the twin peaks

and the twin-tailed comet was once usedto sell the hill as a pilgrimage site calledSigmarsberg, but it never caught on andmost people know the mountain as TheHorned Monk, because the tree-line

with the bare top looks like a tonsure.

‘Horned’ was once a euphemism for ‘cuckolded’, since men who were cheated on bytheir wives were said to have ‘horns’. An Academic Knowledge (Theology) Test ( Average (+0%) for followers of Shallya or Ranald; Hard (-20%) for others) mightallow a PC to recall a Venerated Soul (a sort of saint – see Tome of Salvation , page 95) ofShallya known only as ‘The Horned Monk’. His legend says he was a particularly brutalcount from far away (some say Bretonnia, some Estalia) who insisted on the letter of thelaw being carried out without mercy. In vengeance, Ranald came to him in a dreamdisguised as Shallya and seduced him, promising to be his wife and lover if he wouldonly commit to her. The very next morning, he abdicated his county and became a

Shallyan monk. But everything he tried went sour. Wherever he went, Shallyans shunnedhim since they sensed his motives weren’t pure. People he ‘healed’ would come to griefimmediately afterwards. Criminals who were released due to his pleas for mercy went onto commit even greater crimes. Meanwhile Ranald continued to plague him with fevered,erotic dreams of Shallya, who seemed to promise him so much but then always favouredothers over him, no matter what he did to prove his love. Finally, pursued by WitchHunters and mad with despair and paranoia, the monk found refuge in a cave undertwin peaks. There, a broken man, he begged Shallya’s forgiveness for whatever he haddone wrong. Finally she took pity on him and lifted his madness. Some say his heart wasthen so filled with love that it burst in his chest and his soul joined her in a pure,spiritual union. But others say he left that cave and wanders the Old World still, kept

immortally alive and working true healing miracles by his now-genuine love for Shallya.People pray to the Horned Monk for help in controlling their own or their partners’jealousy, in not acting out of selfish motivations, to escape from criminal punishmentand (unofficially) to cure impotence.

After sighting the village, the party andthe carriage quickly come out of the

woods and start crossing the fields. ARoutine (+10%) CommonKnowledge (Empire) Test (characters

with a rural background get another

+10%) tells the PCs that this is harvestseason and people normally work aslong as possible – now, at dusk, peopleshould be packing up and leaving thefields, but in this case they are alreadydeserted. Andreas and any PCs with himarrive at the village gate first, where theyare challenged by a guard. When

Andreas identifies himself, there’s anaudible commotion (an Average (+0%)Perception Test to hear someone say,

“Thank Sigmar! Max made it through!”)and the gate opens to let everyone into

the village, then is shut very quicklybehind them. The carriage is soonsurrounded by a crowd of scared andhappy villagers.

Max will leave Helena behind in the

carriage to go and find out what is goingon and will be met first by HorstPrahlhans, the village innkeeper. Bibi

will object strongly to Helena being leftbehind and will demand to know what ishappening. If necessary, she will try toenlist the PCs to find out for her sinceshe will stay resolutely by Helena’s side.

It requires only a Very Easy (+30%)Gossip Test to discover what is

happening. The dowry shipment left inthe morning two days earlier under the


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command of Erich Treumann, who alsotook his 10 year-old son Dieter withhim. For a day nothing seemed out ofthe ordinary. This morning, however,people who went into the fields to work

ran back when they discovered themutilated bodies of Erich and Dietertied up in the fields where thescarecrows had been. The village is nowin a state of siege, although no one hasseen any possible perpetrators.

In addition to or in place of the Gossip Test, the PCs might decide to askspecific people. Depending on theiractions and their success in the test, they

will get some spin/additionalinformation:

• Andreas will, after speaking to Maxand Horst, be able to relay the aboveinformation to the PCs, but will urgethem not to reveal any details aboutthe battlefield, especially theGreenskin involvement – Max hasdecided (and Andreas agrees) that itis important for the villagers’ morale

to think that the enemy are humanbandits who could be bought off;

• Max will make the same point ifasked directly;

• if the PCs made their Gossip Test with one DoS or less, then theymeet Beate, Max’s sister, who willrelay the information and bitterlycriticise him for being a cheapskateand not providing enough guards –in fact Beate uses every opportunity

to criticise her brother, including forleaving Helena in the carriage if thePCs don’t take the initiative ingetting her lodging;

• if the PCs made their Gossip Test with two or three DoS’s, then theymeet Maxli, who expresses his grieffor Erich, Dieter and Enid (their

wife and mother who is currentlypraying in the village’s Sigmariteshrine) and will let slip that he thinks

this is a Greenskin attack, but agrees with his father that this should not

become common knowledge; an Average (+0%) Perception Test allows a PC to notice that whenMaxli talks of Greenskins and thetragedy of a mother losing her son

he fondles a pendant round hisneck: a Hard (-20%) MagicalSense Test (or Average (+0%) ifthe PC holds the pendant in hishand) tells the character that it wasonce magical (see the shaded textbelow for more detail);

• if the PC’s made their Gossip Test with four or more DoS’s, they meeta scruffy-looking man with stalealcohol on his breath and dressed in

the robes of a Sigmarite Initiate whoclaims the attack is punishment forthe villagers’ sins; this is Wilhelm‘Willie’ Treumann who has comeout of the Sigmarite shrine to see

what was going on but returns to itquickly to continue consoling Enid.

Maxli’s pendant is of copper and silver wire intertwined to form a crudehumanoid figure and was given to him

as a baby by his mother Johanna. Shehas given similar pendants to othermembers of her family. The intertwiningof two metals into one figure representshow love makes two people into one.

The maker must give the pendant to therecipient at a significant occasion(typically a birthday, dooming ormarriage) and can only ever do so onceto any given individual, who can onlyever have one functioning pendant (later

gifts supersede older ones). The pendantmagically protects the recipient who

wears it from one life-threateningoccurrence (in game terms, gaining oneFate Point), so long as the maker andrecipient love each other. An Average(+0%) Academic Knowledge (the

Arts, Philosophy or Theology) Test will reveal the symbolism of the wire. An Average (+0%) AcademicKnowledge (Magic) Test indicates

that the pendant is at least supposed tohave protective power; a success of 2


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DoS or more indicates that this power works only for a specific person. TheMagical Sense Test regarding Maxli’spendant reflects the fact that he used hisFate Point during the last Orc attack,

but a sensitive mage can still detect theremnants of his mother’s love on it(which also, incidentally, provides a hintthat she’s still alive).

Eventually Helena steps out of thecarriage, either because the PCs haveintervened to get Max to attend to heror because Beate does so, all the whileinsulting her brother about his lack ofgrace, much to his embarrassment.

Conversation about the attack willsuddenly cease and all eyes will be onHelena. With Bibi and Max/Beate byher side, she will be guided through the

crowd to Max’s large house and on the way she will be greeted in a friendly, ifslightly pitying manner, by the village.

The crowd then slowly disperses.

After this, Horst will introduce himselfto the PCs and offer to show them totheir lodgings in his inn, ‘The CowardlyOrc’. As they enter they will be met byLiselotte, his much-younger (22) wife,

who will note that they must be tiredafter their journey and offers to makethem a good, hot meal to have oncethey’ve settled in. A mentally slowyoung man called Klaus Einfaeltig,

whose parents died in the last attack and

whom Horst has taken in, will helpthem with their luggage. Everything ispaid for by Max.

CHAPTER FIVE: ASKING AROUND

For the rest of the evening the PCs aremore or less free to roam the village. Bythis point they ought to be wonderinghow they are going to complete their job

and, more to the point, get back to town without getting killed. They will find nosupport whatsoever for the idea offetching the hemp and taking it to townor to the village – it’s far too dangerous.Even if the PCs suggest combining this

with escorting Helena back to safety,they will have no luck: Helena is scaredand Max has no intention of givingFranz the chance to renege on hisarrangement. Suggesting everyone leave

en masse will also be rejected: people want to stay to protect their homes.

If the PCs don’t decide to investigateoptions themselves, thinking they canleave it up to Max and/or Andreas toresolve the issue for them, have them beapproached in private by Bibi. She tellsthem that Helena is scared and thatalthough Max and Andreas sayreassuring things, they’ve kept both

Helena and Bibi in the dark. She wantsthe PCs to find out what’s happening

and a way to get Helena back to town. Ifthe PCs don’t seem inclined to act outof concern for Helena, then Bibi canremind them how grateful her wealthy

father would be if she got back safelyand was rescued from marriage to a man

who couldn’t even guarantee her life,quite apart from the delivery of a dowry.

The PCs have a number of investigativeoptions. The two Maxes and Andreasare initially nowhere to be found: askingfor them (from, say, Horst or one of

Andreas’s guards) reveals that the threemen have withdrawn in private to

discuss options. But there are otherpotential sources of informationelsewhere. The Cowardly Orc is thehome of Horst and Liselotte (Klaus as

well, but he doesn’t know anything) andis also a good place to meet the othermen of the village (who can also be metguarding the stockade). The SigmariteShrine is where Erich’s widow, Enid,and his brother Willie are currentlypraying and seeking solace. The Big

House is where Max lives, but itsground floor is currently occupied by


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the women of the village, who havegathered there with their children. Fromthe drawing room they are presidedover, not entirely to their delight, byMax’s sister Beate. This is also where

Helena and Bibi have been brought to

be plied with questions andcommiserated with. Finally, most of thebought-in labourers keep to theLabourers’ Quarters so as to avoidtrouble with the natives, but some can

also be found on guard at the stockade.

Vorberg is a fairly ordinary village inside a stockade, but it has four significant buildingsalongside the usual cottages, workshops, gardens and a well. Relevant Trade skills canprovide details of architecture, age, upkeep, etc.:

• The Cowardly Orc – The village’s inn, run by Horst and Liselotte, is frequented byevery male villager, and occasionally the casual labourers. It is small, but clean. ThePCs share a single room. There is no lock on the door, but it does contain a storagechest with a key that the PCs can borrow.

• The Sigmarite Shrine – A small domed building, not particularly ornate but neatly

kept. It was built in the previous generation by Max’s and Beate’s father as part ofhis failed attempt to turn ‘Sigmarsberg’ into a pilgrimage destination. The altar iscovered in aging mementoes of the village’s dead women and children. Prominent isa portrait of a woman and a young (roughly three year-old) girl with a Classicalsubscription, reading: ‘To my Johanna and Katharina in grief and regret. Max.’Draped over the portrait is a pendant of the same type Maxli is wearing (see above).

An Average (+0%) Magical Sense Test detects no magic: Johanna gave this toMax on their wedding day, but it never worked.

• The Big House – The largest and fanciest building in the village, fitted out withexpensive, carved wood panelling. It even has a fashionable drawing room, newlybuilt especially to receive Helena, but now where Beate is holding court. The two

Maxes and Andreas, meanwhile, have retired upstairs to the Master Library (in factMax’s smoking room, although there is one shelf of ornately bound but never readbooks) to consult.

• The Labourers’ Quarters – Flimsy structures erected as dormitories for thelabourers, set up against the side of the stockade, away from the centre of the village.

When not working (or on sentry duty), the labourers wile away their time here,drinking and gambling on small tables between the rows of cots.

• The Stockade – A standard wooden affair, although poorly maintained. Most partshave a walkway along the inside, although breaks mean that it’s impossible to walkthe entire circuit without clambering down one ladder and up the next.

What the PCs learn will depend on whatthey ask (which will, in turn, depend on

what they’ve already found out, so co-operation and networking will help).

The information is given below in thetext box as a series of PC questions and

what each NPC person/group wouldanswer. Require Gossip and Charm

Tests, modified by the quality of theroleplaying and nature of the interaction:e.g. the women are likely to confide

more in a female PC, Horst would beflattered to have his bravery praised by a

hardened warrior, and Beate will reactpoorly if she thinks low-born charactersare showing insufficient subservience.

When the PCs talk to the women inMax’s house (or whenever the GM feelsit’s appropriate) have them make aRoutine (+10%) Perception Test. Ona success they notice that, although themen of the village are of all differentages, almost all the women (except

Beate) are young (under 35). A Hard(-20%) Speak Language (Reikspiel)


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Test reveals they are from this generalregion, but not the immediate locality:

they’ve clearly married in fromelsewhere.

Who do you think was responsible for the attack on the wagons?• Horst: “Bandits, probably, trying to snatch what they can and scare us into

giving up more. It won’t work – we’ve survived worse… much worse.”• Liselotte: “It’s horrible, all horrible. My husband says it’s bandits and not Orcs

like Beate and some of those filthy workers are saying. I keep saying: it doesn’tmatter anyway. Horst, Max and the rest of the men will sort these people out.It’s just such a shame about Dieter. Poor lad!”

• Male villager: “It was bandits, wasn’t it? That’s what Max says. Yeah, that’s right – bandits.”

• Enid: “Does it matter? My little Dieter is dead and it’s all my no-accounthusband’s fault. I told him he was too young to go, but Erich wanted to make aman of him. A man?! Don’t make me laugh! Real men keep their wives safe; theydon’t go round beating everyone they want to control and who’s too weak toresist. Dieter was always looking out for his mama. *sob*”

• Willie: “If Max is saying it’s bandits, then it must be bandits, right?” [If spokento alone:] “You ever heard of bandits that did something like this? No. This isSigmar’s will. We failed him and he is punishing us for our failure. This day hadto come.”

• Beate: “My idiot brother’s saying it’s bandits? Don’t be ridiculous. These areOrcs, you mark my words. I knew all that stuff about Max scaring them awaylast time was nonsense. If my brother did it, there was no way it was going tostick! I just hope I can help poor Helena.”

• Women: “Well, Max is saying it’s bandits. And Andreas is backing him up. ThatBeate is just a bitter old woman. Just because her husband died and left herpenniless, that doesn’t mean she has to take it out on her brother.”

• Labourers: “They’re saying it’s bandits, but that’s nonsense. No bandit does thatto a little boy. My bet’s on Orcs or mutants. Beastmen? No – Beastmen

would’ve eaten them.”

What happened here before?/Why are there so few older women?• Horst: “Ah, now that’s a horrible story. Twelve years ago the Orcs came and we

thought we’d all had it. I was a younger man then and wanted to fight it out, butErich said we had to hide the womenfolk first. I said it was too much of a risk,but Max agreed and his first wife, Johanna, led them up the Old Hill Road to thecave at the top of the Horned Monk. The road was overgrown and impossibleto find, so he reckoned the Orcs would never find them there and they’d surviveeven if we were overrun. Willie went for help. We didn’t know whether he gotthrough, but we fought as long as we could. I killed twenty of ’em myself! FinallyMax had the idea of bluffing the Orc boss about help coming and, what do youknow, the old dog did it! The Orcs ran for their very lives and that’s why myinn’s the way it’s named. Willie got back the next day with some troops and weall went to collect our women. But they were gone. I was lucky – my dear old mahad already passed and I wasn’t yet married. But Max lost his wife and little babydaughter, and Willie never forgave himself.”

• Liselotte: gives a similar account to her husband’s, but with even moreexaggeration of his role.

•

Male villager: “Twelve years ago the Orcs came. We hid our women up in the


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cave on the Horned Monk and sent Willie for help. But Max is a slippery one:called the Orc boss to a parley and said to him, bold as brass, that the army wascoming and he should hop it before he got wiped out. Old Orc boss wasterrified and off he went! But they found the women. Every single one of them.Don’t like to think about what happened. Willie got back with help one day late.He never forgave himself. Some of us have married since then as best we can,but we don’t forget.”

• Enid: doesn’t really know what happened then and isn’t interested in discussingit; grew up poor and was married to the relatively well-off Erich by her father

when Erich showed he liked the look of her, even though she always found himdisgusting.

• Willie: “It was twelve years ago. The Orcs came and Max sent the women intohiding. We needed someone fast to get to town and fetch help and I

volunteered. Thought I’d be the hero! I slipped out, managed to avoid theGoblin guards and reached town, but I still failed. I didn’t know how many Orcsthere were and I wasn’t able to persuade the authorities to put together a bigtroop. I was just a kid, not a politician. Eventually a commander saw I was aninitiate of Sigmar and recognised a brother in the faith. I remember riding out infront, guiding this army and thinking I’d be the big hero. But I wasn’t. I was afool.”

• Beate: “I wasn’t here – I’d married out. But I know my brother. Do you reallythink that useless lump could parley with an Orc boss? Don’t make me laugh!Sigmar forgive me, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he’d sold those women out inreturn for being left alone. I heard he’d had enough of Johanna by the end,although I can’t imagine he wanted to lose Kati as well. Why are the women soyoung? Ha! Why do you think old men marry young girls? Because they can!”

• Women: “It was a terrible tragedy what happened then. I hear they scared theOrcs off, but not before those beasts had taken their wives and babies. It’s justtoo horrific to think about. We all made the best marriages we could. Sure, we’dall like someone who’s young and can support us, but in the real world the twodon’t usually go together. These are decent men, for the most part. Enid drewthe short straw.”

• Labourers: “I don’t believe half the things I hear about what happened backthen. If they were so heroic, how come their women got snatched? Still, if youhad the chance to marry over again, wouldn’t you pick a nice young thing?”

What do you think of Max Snr/Erich Treumann/Willie Treumann?• Horst: “Max is the best a man could be. It’s fantastic that he’s finally found a

lovely wife, just like I did. He wouldn’t be where he is today without myself, ofcourse, but I’m happy here with my inn and my ’Lotte, so I don’t begrudge himhis success. Erich was a good man to have by your side, although too stern attimes. Willie’s a tragedy. He was the golden boy, completely devoted to Sigmarand everyone thought he’d become a priest and go a long way. He was once

voted ‘Villager Most Likely to Become Grand Theogonist’. But not getting helpin time turned him bitter. He started drinking and never left the village. He’salways kept the shrine nice, though, I’ll grant him that.”

• Liselotte: “Max is a good man and a good leader of the village, but he couldn’tdo a thing without my Horst. If he’d listened a bit more to Horst and not to thattyrant Erich, we might not be in this mess. Why not? I don’t know, but I’ll tellyou one thing: my husband never beat a woman black and blue. As for Willie,


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he’s just a drunk. I know he went through a lot, but so did Horst and he didn’tfall apart.”

• Male villager: “Max is all right. Brings a lot of money into the village, although Icould do without the foreigners coming in to work the land. It’s good that he’smarrying again. At least this one’s too young to have much of a say – his first

wife was a bit of a handful, may Morr bless her rebellious soul. As for Erich, Iknow it’s not right to speak ill of the dead, but he was a bastard to the core. His

wife would be glad to be rid of him if the old tyrant hadn’t taken Dieter along. The boy was always a bit soft, but he didn’t deserve a dad like that. Or what theOr-, uh… bandits did to him. Willie’s a sad case. He was Sigmar’s favourite, nodoubt, but never self-important or self-righteous about it. Sigmar forgive me,but maybe if he’d been less devout he wouldn’t have taken it so hard when hefailed. No wonder he’s bitter, but his boozing doesn’t help.”

• Enid: “Max is a good man. A little too interested in money and not enough inpeople, otherwise he’d have noticed how rotten Erich was. But so long as myhusband was running things well, I don’t think Max wanted to see what he didto me and Dieter. Willie’s always been too deep in ale and nightmares about thepast to care about the here and now, but it looks like he might have snapped outof it – he’s been a great help today.”

• Willie: “Max wants to be good, but he is weak. Like most ambitious men he hasa lot to lose and that turns you into a coward. He pays for it in his own way, I’msure. Erich was my brother. Not a good brother (or a good husband or fatherfor that matter) but he was my brother nonetheless. I pray that his soul hasfound the rest it never had in life.”

• Beate: “Max thinks he’s the centre of the world but he’s a failure, just like ourfather was. He’ll never amount to anything. Trying to marry up is just the latestpathetic attempt to put on airs. I feel sorry for the girl, Helena – she’s got properbreeding and he’s just dragging her down. Erich had potential, but between thatlow-born peasant girl he married on the one hand and my brother on the other,he never got to use it. I think he had a soft spot for no-hopers. That’s probably

why he stayed by his drunk of a brother as well.”• Women: “Max is a gentleman. We’ve always felt a bit sorry for him, what with

him losing his wife and baby daughter all those years ago. There had been a bitof tension between him and Maxli over taking over the business, but he alwaysrespected his son, maybe for his mother’s sake, and Helena should solve anyinheritance issues! Erich was a vicious thug. Enid said nothing ’til now becauseshe feared Erich would take it out on Dieter, but everyone knew what washappening. Occasionally, if she heard Erich had been drinking, she’d send Dieterto stay with one of us and she’d get beaten twice over: once for herself and oncefor the missing boy. Sigmar help me, but if anyone deserved what was done tohim, it was Erich. We don’t see much of Willie, because he’s either in thetemple, in his cups or sleeping it off. But by all accounts he used to be asdifferent from Erich as day from night.”

• Labourers: “Max is a decent boss. Pays a fair wage and sometimes even stops byto ask how we’re doing. Good riddance to Erich, though: we’re workers, notslaves, and he didn’t treat his little boy much better. It’s just such a shame aboutthat kid. Willie’s a harmless drunk, really, but no fun to share a pint with – hejust gets bitter and depressed and starts crying. Seems to have sobered up today,though. And not a moment too soon!”


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How are we going to get out of this situation?• Horst: “Don’t you worry. Max and I will work out a plan. Why aren’t I talking to

him now? I’ve got work to do here – Max knows that! He’ll call me soonenough.”

• Liselotte: “Horst and Max will sort everything out. Don’t you worry.”•

Male villager: “We stay put. We defend our lands. Try running if you want – seehow far you get.”

• Enid: “What do you mean, get out? It’s already too late for me.”• Willie: “We will pray, and if needs be fight. But always pray. We learnt once that

mortal powers alone cannot help us.”• Beate: “Maybe my brother will buy them off like last time.”• Women: “The men will come up with some plan. We’ll fight alongside them, if

we have to. We’ll not let them get their hands on us or our children – not after what they did to Dieter and his dad.”

• Labourers: “We’ll fight on the stockade, if it comes to it. That’s the safestoption. But there’s no way we’re sticking our necks out for a stranger, no matterhow fairly he’s treated us.”

The PCs may also enquire about the village’s defensive provisions. Theyconsist of little more than sentries, both

villagers and labourers, patrolling thestockade. In an emergency they are toshout to a runner who is to ring a bellhung up outside the door of TheCowardly Orc. The men in the village

will then gather with their weapons tobe told what to do. PCs withsuggestions for improving the system

will be referred to Max and Andreas. Volunteers for sentry duty will be welcomed with a shrug, but they mustuse their own equipment.

CHAPTER SIX: THE PLAN

As the PCs start to wind up theirinvestigations, or earlier if they’vestrongly insisted on seeing Max or

Andreas, they will see Klaus runningtowards them. He insists they come withhim to the Big House, because Max

wants to talk to them. He doesn’t knowanything more than that.

The PCs are led through the groundfloor, crowded with women, andupstairs to the Master Library wherethey see the two Maxes and Andreassitting round a table. The older Max issmoking a pipe and, after tipping Klausa shilling and dismissing him, beckonsthe PCs to come inside and sit. There isone fewer chair than needed, so Andreasgets up and stands by the window

instead. Max introduces his son (again, ifthe PCs have already met him) and

explains that no one knows the woodslike Maxli does. He gestures his son tospeak and Maxli explains what theyknow so far:

• as the PCs probably know, the storyabout the bandits is a lie – theconvoy was attacked by Greenskins

(if the PCs somehow failed to workthis out at the battlefield, this is theopportunity to rectify that);

• when the bodies of Erich and Dieter were found, Maxli was able to tracktheir killers back as far as the OldHill Road – he is sure theGreenskins are camping in the caveunder the summits of The HornedMonk, where they would be in astrong defensive position since that

road is the only approach a largegroup could take;


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• there were no reports or evenrumours of a Greenskin band in thearea – wherever they came from,they came directly to Vorberg,bypassing any other targets;

•

the only Greenskins who are familiar with Vorberg and who know aboutthe cave are the ones who attackedtwelve years ago and killed hismother and sister.

Characters should make a Routine(+10%) Perception Test. On a successthey notice that all the time he’s talking,Maxli is playing with the pendant roundhis neck (see above; if the PCs have not

noticed it before, let them make therelevant rolls now). Any PC keeping aneye on Andreas or who makes a Hard(-20%) Perception Test notices that

while Maxli is talking, Andreas observeshim intently, with a pained, emotionalexpression on his face.

After Maxli has summarised what theyknow, he pauses to allow the PCs to askany questions. Then Max has a proposal.

He says they don’t know why theGreenskins have come back and whythey don’t attack directly like before. Itcould be that they are playing with the

village, terrorising them. Or it could be

that there aren’t as many and so they areattacking opportunistically. Either way,it is important to find out as much aboutthem as possible: how many they are,

who is leading them and so on. Max

suggests that his son lead the PCs on areconnaissance of the camp. Maxliknows one other, secret way up TheHorned Monk that’s accessible to asmall group and will bring them upbehind the ridge, granting a view of thecave where the Greenskins are expectedto be. Because the approach is roundthe side of the hill, the entire sortieshould take a day. Once the PCs havecome back with the information, they

can collectively decide what to do. Ifthey see a chance to undertakesomething, they should, of course, try it.

The PCs probably have questions,although at this stage neither Maxes nor

Andreas have many answers. Andreasand the guards have to stay in the villageto help protect it if there’s an attack, butMax stresses how well his son knowsthe woods. Maxli will modestly concede

that he knows his way round. If the PCstry to get payment, Max will look angry,his son disappointed and Andreas regardthem with utter contempt, but promisesof unspecified reward will be made.

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE SORTIE

The PCs spend the night at TheCowardly Orc, but are woken by Klausbefore first light. They should now say

what they are taking with them on thejourney. Going downstairs they seeMaxli and Andreas breakfastingtogether. As they enter the room,

Andreas says a few words to Maxli and,laying his hand on his shoulder, leavesthe building. A hot, nourishing breakfasthas been prepared for the PCs andKlaus is an attentive server, both tothem and to Maxli, who often has a kind

word for him.

As soon as they’re finished eating, Maxlileads them out into the first light. Afterleaving the village and a short walk

through the fields, the party enters theforest. PCs with appropriate skills (e.g.

Trade (Farmer) or Outdoor Survival) will notice that this part of the forest iscultivated for firewood, fruit and forpigs to roam in. Light has dawned inearnest by the time they reach acharcoal-burner’s cottage. The cottage is

well-tended but currently unoccupied:Maxli goes to check on the owners, Old

Tom and his wife Lady Johanna, but

there’s no sign of struggle so Maxliassumes (correctly) they just went to


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town. PCs can search the cottage foritems they might have forgotten or nothave, although Maxli will insist theyleave payment on the kitchen table. TheGM can make available anything s/he

thinks is reasonable. Suggestionsinclude: rope, axes, arrows, traps,lanterns, rations, herbs and one or twohealing poultices.

Old Tom is not really old – that’s just aname traditionally given to whoeverowns this cottage. Old Tom’s wife isalways a herbalist and is given thehonorific Lady Johanna. She tends tothe village’s sick and delivers the babies.

If you have Shades of Empire , then treatLady Johanna as one of the Hedgefolk(pages 55-71). Max’s first wife is thedaughter of the current Lady’spredecessor, who died some years ago.She is not related to the current one.

After the cottage the forest turns wildand soon a rock ‘wall’ rises to their right

– the edge of the Horned Monk. Theycontinue through the forest, keeping the

wall on their right until, about two hoursafter they left the village, Maxli seems todisappear behind a rocky outcrop. Asthey follow him round, they can see acrack in the cliff face up which they canclamber.

PCs with Scale Sheer Surface skill makethe climb automatically. Others mustmake an Average (+0%) Agility Test.

A failure means the PC takes 1 Wound,ignoring TB and AP, to a random

location: he’s hit his head, fallen on hisarm, been generally beaten up or twistedhis ankle or knee. Only the last result(leg) has any further effect: if the PC hasto run during the subsequent day, hemust pass a Routine (+10%)

Toughness Test or else suffer -1 Movement. A successful test means thePC can run normally, but even then, justthe attempt means the PC cannotnaturally heal that Wound on the same

day.

At this point, the party needs todetermine a marching order (Maxli goesin front) and the PCs should tell the GM

what equipment they have ready, butthey will need one hand free because ofthe terrain.

It’s approaching mid-morning by thisstage and the weather is getting warm.

In addition, the slope is steep andtreacherous underfoot. Inexperiencedoutdoorsmen will be slipping andcursing their way up the hill.

CHAPTER EIGHT: AMBUSH

After about an hour of hard scrambling,Maxli tells the PCs that they’re almost at

the tree-line. Just beyond that is theridge, from which they’ll be able to lookdown on the Greenskin camp.

At this point the PCs should make an Average (+0%) Perception Test. Those who succeed by less than 3 DoShear someone following them. Those

who succeed by 3 or more also noticemovement up ahead (but further away).

If the PCs mention the noise behindMaxli, he nods, whispers for them to

stop, then slips away. If not, he tellsthem to stop and slips away on his own

initiative. A few minutes later they hearsomeone shout in surprise and see Maxlidrag Klaus out of the brush. Klaus hasbeen following the party because Maxliis his hero and he wants to help. Hesimply refuses to go back and any more

vigorous attempt to persuade him runsthe risk of provoking a loud outburst ofrage. Let the PCs debate what to do

with Maxli, but Klaus won’t go backalone and they have no one to spare to

go with him, so ultimately he will haveto come along. The PCs should


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determine where Klaus is going to be inthe marching order.

Shortly after setting off again, the PCsglimpse gaps in the trees ahead: the tree-

line before the ridge. The PC directlybehind Maxli should then make an

Average (+0%) Perception Test (+10% if he previously heard a noise upahead or if another PC did so andmentioned it). If the PC makes the roll,he sees someone release an arrowtowards Maxli and has half an action toreact. If he pushes Maxli out of the way,then the arrow still strikes home butMaxli is only badly injured and will need

medical attention. Otherwise, Maxli iskilled. If the PC fails the roll, then hesees Maxli shot and killed and theshooter make a break for it up the hill.

The shooter is a humanoid figure,somewhat under average human height,and is in a line of fire for half an actionbefore trees prevent a shot. Even so,shooting him is Very Hard (-30%) dueto cover and terrain and the target is

over 40 yards away.

It will take the shooter and any pursuers5 rounds to reach the tree-line. In eachround roll an Opposed Agility Test.Characters with an appropriate outdoorskill or talent (e.g. Rover) get a one-off+10%. A pursuing character must wintwo more contests than the shooter inorder to catch him, modified by one upor down for every difference in

Movement (remember potential injuriesfrom climbing the cliff). For everyround the PCs fail to pursue, theshooter automatically wins the contest(note: checking Maxli is dead or bindinghis wounds takes one round).

If the shooter wins all 5 contests, thenthe PCs reach the tree-line just in timeto see him disappear over the ridge,shouting for help.

If the shooter wins 4 contests, then thePCs see the shooter up ahead in theopen. They have half a round to actbefore he makes it to the ridge, perhapsgiving them time to shoot him (no

terrain or cover penalties; he’s about 38yards away).

If the shooter wins 3 contests, then thePCs see him up ahead in the open. Theyhave one round to act before he makesit to the ridge. They can either continuethe pursuit for one round in the hope ofcatching him just before the ridge orthey can try shooting him (no terrain orcover penalties; he’s about 26 yards

away).

If the shooter wins 2 contests, then he’sjust ahead of them as they come out ofthe trees. They can either continue thepursuit for two rounds or try shootinghim (no terrain or cover penalties; he’sinitially about 10 yards away, then 24 inthe next round).

If the PCs fail to catch him, the shooter,

who is Johanna’s Half-Orc child,Gregor, warns his mother about them.

The PCs have a bit of time. If they flee,they will have failed and will have tooutrun a small group of Goblinpursuers, leaving Maxli and Klaus totheir fates. If they don’t run, eitherMaxli (if alive) or alternatively an Easy(+20%) Academic Knowledge(Strategy/Tactics) Test reveals thatthe best option is to fortify the ridge and

send Klaus for help. They then face a Thermopylae-style battle until helpcomes from the village (led by Andreasand a reinvigorated Willie) several hourslater. Depending on how well the PCsdo, the villagers will take more or fewercasualties, although they will eventually

win. Max Snr will have stayed in the village with the older men to ‘protect’the women. If Johanna survives, thetruth about the past may come out. In

this case, she and Willie then confronthim and the outraged village quickly


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turns violent. The labourers refuse hiscalls for help, so he offers the PCsmoney to save him from the mob.

Gregor’s pendant prevents his killing by

burning its Fate Point, so he willprobably end up the PCs’ captive. In anycase, the GM should describe himroughly in the following terms:

He looks like a powerfully-builtteenager, but his skin is sallow and hisheavy brows are topped by a slopedforehead, which in turn tapers off into ahead of sparse, greasy black hair. He hasa pronounced under-bite, so that two

overly large, sharp teeth poke up overhis top lip. His nose is snout-like and hehas deep-set, piggish eyes.

Allow the players to speculate on whatGregor is. The description should leaveopen the possibility that he’s a mutantor Turnskin (see Tome of Corruption ,pages 101-2). Someone with theCommon Knowledge (Greenskins) skill(see Old World Bestiary , page 77) or, if

you’re not using that skill, withexperience of Orcs or the pit-fighting/criminal world will recognisehim as a Half-Orc. An Average (0%)

Test against the skill or Intelligence reveals that he’s about half the age helooks (Orcs grow up fast).

For more on Half-Orcs in WFRP seeWarpstone #20, although it isn’tnecessary to run this adventure. The

detail about Orcs growing up quicklyhas been added by the author, who feelsthat Orcish society would not havesurvived in such a violent form if Orcs

went through a lengthy period of weakness. Needless to say, thisprecludes theories about fungus.

Gregor will have to be restrained andstopped from screaming somehow andif Maxli is dead, then a devastated Klaus

will have to be kept from killing him. IfGregor is searched or given medical

attention, then the PCs find a pendantlike Maxli’s. An Easy (+20%) or

Average (+0%) Magical Sense Test indicates that the pendant is magical orhas recently exhausted its magic, as the

case may be.

In order to interrogate Gregor the PCsshould keep him away from the ridge sothat any cries for help can’t be heard.

The GM should remember thatGregor’s just a kid. He’ll be fiercelyprotective of his mother, but Easy tointimidate or trick (+20% to Intimidate or Charm Tests to deceive). He’s alsonot very bright. He’ll let slip various

relevant comments if questioned, withmore information to be given for goodroleplaying and successful use ofrelevant skills:

• he’ll keep threatening that his“mama” will zap the PCs and thatMorkar will eat them; he might alsorefer to his sister;

• he claims there are ‘hundreds andhundreds’ of Orcs in their group: an

Average (+0%) CommonKnowledge (Greenskins) Test shows it’s unusual for Orcs to usenumbers beyond one, two, ‘loads’and ‘loads and loads’;

• he’s very offended if called aGreenskin or Orc – mama says he’sbetter than them;

• if asked where he got his pendant,he’ll first refuse to answer but thensay his mama gave it to him;

•

doesn’t know why they came to the village: mama brought them hereand she’s always right, no matter

what Morkar and the others say –after all, the stupid Orcs normallyfight each other all the time but theynot when mama’s in charge;

• mama has told him that the villagersdeserve to die, but he doesn’t knowmore plans, just that they’ll “besorry”;


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• he didn’t like what happened toDieter, because he liked him, butmama knows best;

• (if the PCs have reconnoitred thecamp and ask about the stew:) he

doesn’t know anything about it – it’ssomething Mama and Kati take careof and it’s only for the Greenskins.

It might occur to the PCs to useGregor’s and Maxli’s pendants to showthem they’re linked somehow. The PCs

will have to go about this very cleverlyfor it to have a good outcome: even if

they accept that the pendants must befrom the same person, both parties willassume that the other has somehowrobbed or exploited their ‘mama’ andbecome very angry and upset.

CHAPTER NINE: RECONNAISSANCE

At some point the PCs will have to do what they were sent for: reconnoitre thecamp. They can get a partial view from

the ridge down to the base of the peaks, where the camp is set up outside a cave,but in order to get a better looksomeone will have to sneak closer. Thecamp is about 200 yards away and theslope is steep and overgrown withbushes (The Horned Monk is only ‘bald’from a distance). The PC can approachthe camp in six roughly 30-yard stagesand each time must make aChallenging (-10%) Silent Move Test,

Opposed to the Goblin guards’Perception. (Use the profile forGoblins, modified by the Sneak careeras per WFRP pages 228-9.) The guards’Perception Tests start at Very Hard (-30%), with the difficulty level droppingby one for every further stage the PCapproaches. Even if the Goblin hearssomething, however, it may notunderstand what’s happening. No attackis expected from that direction and

things frequently move in theundergrowth or dislodge from the slopeanyway. In this case, the PC shouldmake a Routine (+10%) Concealment

Test, Opposed to the Goblin’sPerception Test (rolled at one lessdifficulty than the original Perception

Test ). If the PC wins, the Goblindismisses the sound as unimportant. Ifthe guard wins, he raises the alarm andgives chase.

At each stage of approach the PCshould also make Perception Tests.For the first 4 stages, the PC can only

check against sight – it’s too far to makeout any words. For the last two stages,he should check separately againsthearing as well, although what isunderstood depends on the PC’slanguage ability.

The Perception Tests for lookingbegin at Average (+0%), with theamount of information learntdetermined by the DoS according to the

table below – each result also gives theinformation listed for lesser DoS. ThePC gets +10% to these Tests for everystage of approach after the first (soapproaching 90 yards would grant thePC +20% to the Perception Test ).

The GM should adjust the number ofGoblinoids according to the strength ofthe party. There should be far too manyto tackle en masse, but few enough that

they must divide their forces in a waythat gives piecemeal attacks a chance ofsuccess. One more Orc than there arePCs, plus 5-8 Goblins per Orc, inaddition to the named cast, ought to besuitable. About half the Goblins shouldbe Sneaks and half the Orcs Brutes.Otherwise use the standard profilesfrom WFRP pages 229-30. Note alsothat Johanna is not an experiencedmilitary commander, so the GM should

let her make mistakes.


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DoS Information 0 A rough figure for the number of Greenskins (e.g. 30-40). 1 A rough figure for the numbers of Goblins and Orcs (e.g. 5 or 6 Orcs and

about 30 Goblins)

2

You can make out some activity: some are packing equipment, some areeating, and there is no violence.

3 The Goblins are divided into groups, each ordered about by one Orc. Theyare very disciplined. There are also three figures (one noticeably bigger thanthe others) in the centre of the camp, outside the cave, around a cauldron.

4 Exact numbers for Goblins and Orcs; the group at the centre consists of twohumans and a Black Orc.

5 You can make out the activity in detail: each group of Goblinoids is takingturns to have breakfast from the cauldron; as one group eats, another

prepares to move out and another seems to be about to sleep; they are verydisciplined. The two humans are one older and one younger woman and they

are serving stew from the cauldron.

6 The humans aren’t restrained and the older woman seems to be telling theGreenskins what to do.

Listening in to the camp is resolvedsomewhat differently, since it partlydepends on the PC’s language skills. Ifthe PC is in the fifth, penultimate stageof approach, then he can hear theGreenskins’ conversation. If he canspeak Goblin Tongue, then he should

make a Challenging (-10%) SpeakLanguage (Goblin Tongue) Test:

• on a fail, he can’t make out anythingbecause of cross-talk;

• on a success of fewer than 2 DoS heunderstands that the Orcs are tellingthe Goblins to eat up their stew andarranging guard duties and patrols;

• on a success of 2 or more DoS, thePC can make out exactly where the

guards will be and hears referencesto “mum an’ ’er luvverly stoo”.

The stew in fact contains a herbalconcoction called ‘Mother Knows Best’.

Anyone who eats it must make an Average (+0%) Willpower Test. Notethat these herbs affect the mind, not thebody, so the Resistance to Poison talentprovides no bonus (although the GMmay provide a +10% bonus for talents

like Strong-Minded instead). On afailure the victim regards whomever he

thinks made the stew with filial loyalty.He’ll follow her instructions and defendher to the hilt. This does not make himstupid, anymore than a son’s loyalty tohis mother makes him stupid, and he

won’t necessarily agree with what he’sasked to do and may object. But

ultimately ‘family’ comes first. Theeffect lasts for a day and is renewedautomatically if the victim eats morestew by the end of that period. If not,the effect gradually weakens, starting

with a more conditional loyalty in thesecond day (and another chance to resistthe effects of eating the stew, but at a-10% penalty), to reluctant consent inthe third (no penalty) and finallyfreedom on the fourth, after which the

character gets +10% bonus for future Tests against the stew, cumulative foreach time he’s ‘freed’ himself.

If the PC makes an additional Average(+0%) Perception Test (+10% for

Acute Hearing), he can make outReikspiel being spoken by the older

woman, although at this distance hecan’t understand what is being said.

If the PC gets as close as he can (the laststage of approach), then he can make


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another Speak Language (Goblin Tongue) Test, this time Easy (+20%), with possible results as above. Inaddition, the PC can make a Routine(+10%) Speak Language (Reikspiel)

Test (with an additional +10% if he alsospeaks Goblin Tongue):

• on a fail, he can’t make out anythingbecause of cross-talk and occasionalmixed-in Goblin phrases;

• on a success of fewer than 2 DoS,he understands generally that the

woman is berating the Black Orc,calling him an ‘idiot’ and referring to‘newcomers’ and ‘until nightfall’;

•

on a success of 2 or more DoS, thePC understands that the older

woman (who is referred to as‘mama’) is berating the Black Orcfor having left his post early the daybefore: scouts have reported thatpeople might have slipped into the

village before sundown. The BlackOrc, who’s called Morkar, is not toleave the road until nightfall.

This is the information available uponfirst investigation. If the PC waits toobserve a little longer, have him specifyroughly how long (a few minutes,several minutes or longer – although thePC can change his mind at each stageand leave):

• after ‘a few minutes’ half theGreenskins leave the camp along theOld Hill Road under Morkar’s

leadership;• over the course of ‘several minutes’,

another quarter follows in a series ofsmall groups, each under thecommand of an Orc (they’re goingto set up sentries);

• in those same ‘several minutes’, thefinal quarter are divided between afew guards and the rest who sleep;

• if the PC stays longer, then on an Average (+0%) Speak Language

(Reikspiel) Test, he overhears theolder woman telling the youngerone, ‘Kati’, to go look for Gregor,

who’s wandered off again; in anycase, Kati starts to walk in thedirection of the PC!

Should the PC leave before Kati startsheading his way, he must repeat inreverse order the Silent Move Tests,Opposed to the guards’ Perception. If,

however, Kati is on the move, hisposition becomes much pricklier. ThePC must make an Average (+0%)Concealment Test, Opposed to Kati’sPerception Tests. She is activelylooking for a humanoid figure and thusgets +10% to her rolls, with the basedifficulty determined by the relativedistances (if the PC had advanced twoof the six stages, then Kati rolls firstagainst a base difficulty of Hard (-

20%), then in the next roundChallenging (-10%), etc.). It isparticularly dangerous for the PC to tryto move in these circumstances: insteadof Concealment the PC must make aHard (-20%) Silent Move Test,Opposed to Kati’s Perception Tests.

A clever PC will let her pass and thenfollow her, in which case he must make

Average (+0%) Silent Move Tests,Opposed to her Perception Tests (at a

-20% penalty because she’s lookingelsewhere). Kati’s clamber up the slopealso disguises any noises the charactersmake as far as the guards below areconcerned, so they don’t get aPerception Test.

CHAPTER TEN: GIRL INTERRUPTER

Once the scout returns, the group has a wide range of options. Strictly speaking,

they only have to return to the villageand report. But a good group will have

worked out by now that Maxli’s motheris the head of the Greenskin band and

she is the one who is inflicting the siegeon the village. Remember too that Max


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has told them to take action if they seethe opportunity. This should all requirediscussion, but if that drags or begins togo round in circles or if the GMotherwise feels it would be dramatically

appropriate (e.g. if the PCs still haven’tdiscovered that there’s somethingunusual about these Greenskins), thenthey are interrupted by Kati’s arrival.

Obviously, depending on what theparty’s scout did, Kati may be on the

way anyway or even ahead of him. Adapt the encounter appropriately.

Kati has no reason to suspect anyone

hostile is up here, so she is calling outGregor’s name, and the party will gettwo Perception Tests to hear herbefore she is likely to notice them. Thefirst is Challenging (-10%) but thesecond Routine (+10%). If they makethe first, then they hear her coming intime to take action before she can spotthem. If they only make the second,then any activity (e.g. setting an ambush)has a chance of being heard or spotted,

requiring the PCs to make Routine(+10%) Silent Move and/or Concealment Tests, Opposed toKati’s Routine (+10%) Perception

Test (although the trees provide coverto the PCs, Kati has the advantage ofactively looking for someone). If thePCs fail both Perception Tests, thenKati automatically finds them and seesthey have Gregor. She will try to sneakaway and warn her mother: she must

roll a Routine (+10%) Silent Move Test, Opposed to the PCs’ Perception Test at Average (+0%), or Routine(+10%) if they have explicitly saidthey’re setting a guard.

If the PCs fight Kati, they will find her amore dangerous opponent than shelooks (although an Average (+0%)Magical Sense Test will reveal thatshe’s a magic user and passing it by 2

DoS or more will identify her as a tribalshaman), but they should be able to

catch her. Fortunately the sounds ofbattle will not carry to the camp unlessthe PCs are foolish enough to engageher near the ridge. Note that the magicin Kati’s pendant was used up when she

was four years old: if the PCs dosomething that would kill her, then she’sdead.

If they capture her, she turns out to be atougher nut to crack than her half-brother but also knows much moreabout her mother and the village. Theinterrogation should be roleplayed, andbacked up with Intimidate and Charm

Tests modified by that roleplaying. For

example, Kati cares about Gregor, sothreatening him will net a bonus to anIntimidate test, or pointing out theparallels between the fates of Dieter andthe children twelve years ago might get abonus to a Charm Test to get her totalk. Kati knows that:

• her father betrayed the women andinfants twelve years ago;

• Erich was part of the betrayal and

deserved what he got;• the villagers are to feel the same

terror the women did before they alldie;

• the stew pacifies the Greenskins;• her mother will lead the tribe to

glory (in this case, Kati isn’t so sure – she’s trying to reconcile the spirits’promises to her with not having totake the leadership from her mother;in fact she knows that the tribe has

been heavily depleted since hermother repurposed it for her

vengeance crusade).

The most effective way of getting Kati’shelp, however, is using Maxli’s pendantto prove he survived the original attack.(If Maxli is alive, he will also be willingto believe she is his sister when he seesher pendant, and thus also begrudginglyaccept Gregor.) Kati has fond early

memories of him and if he is alive she will be eager to tell her mother and if


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not then she will be horrified at whathas happened. In any case, she will be

willing to act as go-between in a parley.

CHAPTER ELEVEN: RESOLUTIONS

In the end the PCs face a wide range ofoptions as to what to do next. It ishoped that the GM has enough detail onthe NPCs’ motivations to craft anappropriate, morally complex andmaybe even moving resolution. Therefollow some suggestions, which the GMshould adapt and combine as needed.

Returning to the Village

Going back as a whole group is only anoption if Maxli is dead, since even alivehe is in no fit state to travel and it isn’tsafe to leave him there. The otherproblem is that the PCs probably haveGregor and possibly Kati captive. Eitherthey can bring the captive(s) back to the

village with them or some of them canstay behind with the captives/Maxli.

If some of the party stay behind and

Kati has not yet come looking forGregor, then the GM might have thishappen while the others are away,switching between the two halves of thegroup when each reaches a cliff-hanger.

Unless they follow a different route backto the village (requiring a Challenging(-10%) Navigation Test to avoidgetting lost in the woods), the PCsencounter Morkar and half the

Greenskin warband burning Old Tom’scottage down en route to the road. Itrequires two Routine (+10%) SilentMove Tests to pass by unnoticed orone Routine (+10%) Concealment

Test to wait for them to leave,Opposed to the Orcs’ Hard (-20%)Perception Test (they are distracted).

In playtesting the PCs sent Klaus backalone, later finding his disembowelled

corpse nailed to the remnants of theburnt-out cottage’s door.

The PCs’ reception when theyeventually reach the village will stronglydepend on what news they bring. The

villagers will gather as they arrive andpester them with questions about Maxliand his absence. Whatever they answer,the PCs will soon be asked into a privatemeeting with Max and Andreas in theMaster Library. If Maxli is dead thenboth will be emotionally shattered,although it takes an Average (+0%)

Perception Test to notice this in Andreas’s case. If Maxli lives, then theirfirst priority will be getting him back and

Andreas will personally lead his guards with the PCs to do so. While the othersare putting together a stretcher forMaxli, Andreas will ask to be taken toreconnoitre the camp for himself.

When deciding what to do, Andreas willcounsel the decapitation of the tribe (see

below) on the theory that withoutleadership the Greenskins will move on.He will order all the men armed andonto the stockade, leaving either Juergenor the wounded Maxli in charge of the

village’s defence. The other guards he will take with him and the PCs toexecute the decapitation. It may well be,of course, that in the process they and

Andreas discover more about Johanna,Kati and their history than the PCs had

previously (perhaps by capturing Kati ifshe hasn’t been captured already). IfMaxli is dead, then Andreas will dismissany thoughts of parley or similar andjust want to kill (although he’ll justify itby pointing to Dieter’s death as evidencethat Johanna can’t be reasoned with). IfMaxli is alive, Andreas might bepersuaded to behave differently.

Even if the PCs have found out the

truth of what happened twelve yearsago, it would be under most


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circumstances a huge mistake to publiclyaccuse Max. They simply won’t bebelieved, except perhaps by Enid (Beate

will turn on any stranger who accusesher brother), and may find themselves

driven from the village with a warbandof Greenskins outside. Even Willie willkeep silent out of renewed shame, butthat night will go back to the bottle.

If the PCs have Gregor with them, this won’t be accepted as proof and nothinghe says will be believed. Max will orderhim locked in a tiny cage in case theycan use him as a hostage.

If the PCs come back with Kati, then adifferent scenario is possible. Kati isclever and will remain silent unless thePCs have a plan that requires her tospeak. She will, however, take a goodopportunity to kill Max (with no care forher own life), assuming she isn’t privy tosome other plan. Meanwhile, both Maxand Willie will recognise her and,depending on how the PCs play thesituation, Willie may gather the courage

to expose Max. Even here, though, the village might split down the middlebetween those who believe Max andthose who believe Willie and internecinefighting might make it too weak to resistthe Greenskins. Alternatively, the GMmight rule that the village turns againstMax, who is abandoned by Horst in fearand Andreas in disgust, and is chasedinto his house, where he is burnt alive.

Parley

This is the most obvious option if thePCs have captured Kati. They also haveGregor, so they can use one as a go-between (or to ensure safe passage for aPC envoy) and another as a hostage.

Any PC who enters the camp will beoffered stew by Johanna. Again,pointing out that Maxli is still alive (orthat he was until Gregor killed him) is

probably the best way of bringing Johanna round. In one point she will

not give in, however: she must see Maxsuffer and die. She will also demandguarantees from the PCs that anyagreement will be held to, perhaps byholding one of the PCs hostage.

This was the option chosen inplaytesting. One PC went with Kati toparley with Johanna and became heradvocate after eating the stew, but

Johanna was devastated when shediscovered that one son had killed theother. She agreed to leave the village in

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